Heads up

Ladies, have you been longing to break out the long strand of pearls, or try out the to-die-for finger waves made famous by the likes of 1920s-era actress Mary Pickford? Check out the Denton Benefit League’s “All That Jazz,” a Great Gatsby-styled charity ball in March.

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Worthwhile happenings are headed this way

Denton Record-Chronicle

Published: 03 January 2013 11:30 AM

Don’t you love this very moment of the
new year? That micro-sliver of time before university and public school classes
resume and the phenomenon that is spring in Denton attacks your calendar?

We do, too. There aren’t too many
patches of downtime in Denton to consider what we should put into our
calendars. But we’re doing that now, and we’ve come up with some must-see,
must-do events that you should ink in that planner in red — or enter into that
latest calendar app on your smartphone.

We’ve included events for young and old
— so there’s no use in shrugging off our best bets of spring as something for
the “kids.”

Thin Line Film Fest l Feb. 8-18

Texas’ only documentary film festival
surged in attendance last year. It also got press from the film and
entertainment press outside of the United States.

This festival could be deemed “the
little festival that could.” Why? Because the event screens documentaries that
make the short list for the Academy Awards each year. It’s broad in its
offerings, usually serving up titles that deal with everything from gay and
lesbian issues to questions of faith — and everything in between.

And the film festival is manageable. It
doesn’t have the gridlock or paparazzi bait of Sundance or Cannes (neither of
which limits its films to documentaries) but it does show off the city to
newcomers and repeat customers.

You can splurge for an all-festival
pass, which usually costs more than $100 (but less than $200). Or you can pick
the titles that interest you and pay the same amount you’d shell out for, say,
a James McMurtry show at Dan’s Silverleaf (between $10 and $15).

The film fest has grown bit by bit, even
introducing the Thin Line Fall Series, which screened documentaries monthly
from August through December.

35 Denton l March 7-10

In downtown Denton. $100 for a four-day
fast track, $45 for a four-day wristband. http://35denton.com
.

35 Denton announced a good chunk of the
local music festival’s major lineup last year: Sleep, Chelsea Light Moving
(Thurston Moore, y’all), Killer Mike, the Coathangers and more. Lots more.

This music festival always occupies the
week before spring break (which is code for South by Southwest in Austin) and
is good for three major things: celebrating music, discovering music you’ll
swear you can’t believe you lived without, and being utterly chipper in spite
of the three hours of sleep you’ll be getting over four days.

Like the Thin Line Film Fest, 35 Denton
is manageable. The primary venues are small — very small — and the main stages
are cleverly located for thousands who will stand, dance and bounce for entire
shows.

Oh, and for those who continually find
themselves yearning for the days of Fry Street Fair, listen up: Denton’s Brutal
Juice is playing. And so is the local punk wunderband Mind Spiders. We have our
bets on a lot more local music getting added to the festival calendar.

And in case you were wondering: Yes, the
Denton-based Tejas Storytelling Festival will stage the Texas Storytelling
Festival on the same four days that 35 Denton fills downtown with music —
again. Even with the talent, narrative craftsmanship and charm to be found at
the storytelling festival, we’re going to predict that the crowds will skip it
for the music.

All That Jazz l March 23

Denton Benefit League exists to serve
three purposes: stimulating volunteerism in Denton County nonprofit agencies
and groups, supporting local nonprofit organizations and grooming the women who
will lead the community in the future. (The league is not strictly a women’s
organization, and officers sing the praises of the men who show up to help the
wives who are in the league, but it is overwhelmingly female.)

Each spring, the league stages Denton’s
only charity ball. This year, “All That Jazz” will revisit the 1920s, putting
on the fashions made famous by The Great Gatsby. The event will be dressed up
in art deco finery and will flirt with the speakeasy danger of Prohibition.

Patrons are welcome to dress in
flapper-style finery for the black-tie event. Music will be by Emerald City,
Denton pianist Bob Rogers and additional performers. It includes dinner, a cash
bar, a raffle and a silent auction.

Adkins String Ensemble l April 8

8 p.m. in Voertman Hall at the UNT Music
Building, at Avenue C and Chestnut Street. www.music.unt.edu
.

The Adkins String Ensemble, a group of
family members born and bred in Denton and many of whom have plum seats in
Dallas’ premiere ensembles, will perform a Distinguished Alumni Recital in the
spring at the University of North Texas.

The ensemble brings even the most
familiar string repertoire to life with sensitivity and articulation. Where
other groups might fall into rote recitation, going on autopilot on their
instruments, the Adkins clan explores its music as if with fresh eyes and
fingers. Humor, wit, lyricism and beauty all arise from a concert with the
Adkinses.

The ensemble is Elisabeth Adkins and
Alexandra Adkins Wenig on violin, Christopher Adkins and Anthony Adkins on
cello, and Clare Adkins Cason and Madeline Adkins on violin and viola. Pianist
Edward Newman is the sole non-Adkins of the ensemble, but is essential as its
accompanist.

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